How many school days can your child miss? Dubai fixes limit

Parents of school-going children in Dubai are advised to monitor their child's attendance closely.

“Students should not be absent from school for more than 21 days in a year,” says Abdulrahman Nassir, Chief of Customer Relations at Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA).

Student absenteeism is sometimes unavoidable, and could fall away from the prescribed school holidays.

“Issues involving long-term illness or family emergencies will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis.”

Last year, the Ministry of Education added 10 extra days to the 2014-15 school calendar, bringing the total number of working days to 189.

Most private schools adhere to the rule, and emphasise the importance of full attendance at every stage.

“It is the school’s philosophy that attendance at school is of primary importance and, therefore, students are encouraged to be present regularly throughout the year to fully participate in the programme,” read the guidelines set by a leading private school.